Thursday, March 5, 2015

The Idler. Monday, March 2, 2015

Strong tobacco at Loftus

WHAT an evening's rugby it was last Saturday – two cliffhangers in the Super Rugby 

and another ding-dong in the Six Nations.

At the Street Shelter for the Over-Forties, on some screens they were showing Wales 

versus France – Wales in red, France in blue – and on others they were showing Lions 

versus Stormers – Lions in red and Stormers in blue.

It could be a bit confusing. I watched the entire Lions versus Stormers match, only to 

find out it had been Wales versus France. It's this globalised, digitalised age we live 

in. Great rugby though.

As for our game against the Bulls – an absolute humdinger, as expected, so much 

talent on the field you can't stop thinking of the World Cup. Has Patrick Lambie ever 

been so sweetly on song with his kicking?

But what were they smoking in the TMO box at Loftus? That "inconclusive" forward 

pass by the Bulls that got them their first try – that was gridiron stuff. Our disallowed 

try – a guy knocked on without touching the ball. And that last Bulls try was as 

convincing as Mac Maharaj on the Nkandla firepool.

Three TMO bum calls in one match – a probable 21 points adrift. Mama mia! This 

has to be some sort of record. Yet we almost clawed our way back.

All the same, I felt the Bulls had the better of it overall. We were on the back foot 

much of the time. We wuz robbed – yet they deserved to rob us. It's a funny old 

game.

Complaint

A LETTER of complaint comes this way from a lady who calls herself "Mrs Brown".

"I sat up until after midnight to watch this programme on TV. It was a complete waste 

of time.

"Grand Prix – and it was all about racing cars!"

Great spin

INVESTMENT analyst Dr James Greener, congratulates Minister of Finance 

Nhlanhla Nene in his latest grumpy newsletter on his presenting a belt-tightening 

budget with out once using the word "austerity". This is admirable spin.

Yet he notes an immediate contradiction. "In defiance of these calls for parsimony, 

the Office of the Premier here in KZN has appointed a consultant to run the 'I Do 

Right – Even When Nobody is Watching' campaign. 

"Aside from the disturbing grammar, the idea that such a campaign has become 

necessary and furthermore is under way is dreadful. Why not simply fire anyone not 

doing right?"

Pop names

A FEATURE of our age is the outlandish names of so many of 

our pop groups. A reader feels that many of them would sound 

even better in Afrikaans.

Here goes:

Pet Shop Boys – Troeteldierwinkelseuns; Smashing Pumpkins 

- Platgemoerde Pampoene; The Clash - Die Botsing; Frankie 

Goes to Hollywood - Frikkie Gaan Fliek Toe; Bananarama -

   Piesangmargarien; Iron Maiden - Yster Sussie; Spice Girls 

-     Aromat Slette; Simple Minds – Dofkoppe; Meat Loaf – 

Vleisrol;

Dire Straits - Moer Toe; Def Leppard - Stomdoof Luiperd; 

Johnny Rotten & the Sex Pistols  - Jannie Vrot en die Pomp 

Revolwers.

Yes, they do have a certain zing in the local taal. The Agony and the Ecstasy – Eina 

maar dis lekker!

Inflation

OVERHEARD in the Street Shelter for the Over-Forties: ""When 

I was a boy, my mom would send me down to the corner store 

with R1 and I'd come back with five potatoes, two loaves of bread, 

three bottles of milk, a hunk of cheese, a box of tea and six eggs. 

You can't do that now ... too many security cameras."

Buses

IAN GIBSON, poet laureate of Hillcrest, pens a few lines on the 

latest swing of the pendulum in Durban's bus service.

When Mike S was Durban's commissar,

Citizens avoided buses and went by car;

Now I'm told it's even worse,

Like, twenty packed into a hearse,

Or bundled together in a Ricksha.

Tailpiece

LAWYER (to wealthy art collector): "I've got good news and bad news.."

Art collector: ""What's the good news? I've had an awful day."

Lawyer: "Your wife invested R50 000 in two pictures this week that she figures 

are worth a minimum of R20 to R30 million."

Art collector: "Well done! Very good news indeed!

You've just made my day. Now what's the bad news?"

Lawyer: "The pictures are of you with your secretary."

Last word

Do you realise if it weren't for Edison we'd be watching TV by candlelight?

Al Boliska

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